A Wildlife and Family Garden

garden bistro set, white, perfect for morning coffee, surrounded by a low brick garden wall and flowering herbaceous planting offset against ornamental grasses

This garden had two clear requirements: to create a wildlife-friendly space, while leaving room for regular family games of ping-pong and practical storage for the table.

garden after image with pergola, wall and seating

The Ponds

Two ponds provide valuable habitat and drinking water for a wide range of garden wildlife.

Carefully positioned planting creates sheltered access in and out of the water for visiting mammals, while emergent and marginal plants support dragonflies, damselflies and other aquatic life. Dense foliage in and around the pond edges also offers cover from predators, helping the water features become functioning habitats rather than purely ornamental additions.

designed steps in garden wall with planting and corner pergola in white surrounding a garden area for entertaining with dining table

English country garden design brick walls and seating

planting at base of a wall Garden Design Buckinghamshire

The Planting Design

Raised beds define the dining area, bring planting closer to eye level and provide a useful barrier for the occasional wayward ping-pong ball. As the garden matures, young hedges will strengthen this sense of enclosure and offer yet more assistance with 'ball containment'.
A layered mix of successive flowers, evergreen foliage and textural planting brings interest throughout the year. The result is a garden shaped equally around family life and the wildlife that shares it, with seasonal moments to be enjoyed by every garden dweller- human or otherwise.